When he's not in class, he is working full time as a medical laboratory scientist in the Pathology
Department at University Hospital, testing for
pathogens.

“Because we are such a large hospital in South Texas, we get
a lot of interesting cases coming through," he said.

One of the reasons he is pursuing the Master of Science degree is
because he would like to bring more knowledge to work. He expects to
gain additional problem-solving skills as he enters the research phase of his
M.S. training.

“There is a correlation of what I do in the lab and what we
learn in class. I love that they go hand-in-hand,” Ruiz said. “I can look at
an organism and identify it, but what do I really know about it? How does it
cause disease and what are the diseases it causes? I feel like I’m getting this
further background that relates to work that I wouldn’t be able to get being at
work.”

Ruiz explained that, although only halfway through the
Master of Science program, he’s already noticed the difference the added knowledge has made.

“I feel more confident answering people’s questions because
of the background that I’m getting from school,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz is the first student to be admitted into the brand new
program. Over 50 applications for this fall’s class have been submitted and many more are
coming in daily. The final application deadline is May 15.

“We are filling a
need for people in this area,” she said. “I thought that we would get mainly
local people but we have people applying from India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
and all over the world.”

Dr. Paolo Casali, chairman of
the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, explained that the Master of
Science in Immunology & Infection program attracts different types of
people such as those who are mid-career and looking to get more experience; people who wish to apply for positions in
research laboratories; people who wish to apply to medical school and
need to improve their academic credentials.

“To apply to medical school from
college, the program is a good
stepping stone because it provides a formal degree that is marketable,” Dr.
Casali said. “Also, if you are trying to get a job at a biotech company or big
pharma, having a degree of this kind is the most useful you can have.”

Dr. Keith Krolick, the
director of the Master of Science program, stressed that opportunities that are
available to students in the program because of the strong relationship that
his department has with the School of Medicine and its clinical research
faculty. He said that there are around 45 Master of Science degree programs in
the biological sciences at non-health science undergraduate institutions around
the state.

“Most are broad
general biology programs, with few that focus on immunology/microbiology
specialties and do not provide opportunities to investigate clinical problems
in laboratories that interface with the biomedical community,” Dr. Krolick
said. “Our Master of Science program integrates immunology and infectious disease
thereby producing a more well-rounded learning experience.”

Eskew explained
that in order to keep up with the demand, the department is adding new
classrooms for the Master of Science program.

“We are going to
have a full house here and the energy level in this department has gone up
dramatically,” Dr. Casali said. “With the renovations in the department, the
new faculty, new labs—it’s really exciting.”